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Beam shaper for an optical storage system

a technology of optical storage system and beam shaper, which is applied in the direction of data recording, recording/reproducing/erasing using optical interference patterns, instruments, etc., can solve the problems of high cost of beam shaper optics and extremely sensitive to misalignmen

Inactive Publication Date: 2013-01-08
THOMSON LICENSING SA
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a beam shaper that can create a well-shaped light beam from an incoming beam. This is done by using a beam shaping element that has a special optical property that changes across the entire surface of the incoming beam. This allows for easy transformation of the intensity distribution of the beam into the desired shape. The beam shaper is relatively insensitive to small alignment issues, which simplifies the overall setup and makes it easier to align the optical components. The invention can be used in optical storage devices and other optical applications where a shaped light beam is needed.

Problems solved by technology

However, beam-shaping optics are expensive and extremely sensitive to misalignment.

Method used

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  • Beam shaper for an optical storage system
  • Beam shaper for an optical storage system
  • Beam shaper for an optical storage system

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0027]In the following the invention is explained with reference to an apparatus for reading from and / or writing to holographic storage media. Of course, the invention is not limited to such an application.

[0028]In holographic data storage digital data are stored by recording the interference pattern produced by the superposition of two coherent laser beams. An exemplary setup of an apparatus 1 for reading from and / or writing to holographic storage media is shown in FIG. 1. A source of coherent light, e.g. a laser diode 2, emits a light beam 3, which is collimated by a collimating lens 4. The light beam 3 is then divided into two separate light beams 7, 8. In the example the division of the light beam 3 is achieved using a first beam splitter 5. However, it is likewise possible to use other optical components for this purpose. A spatial light modulator (SLM) 6 modulates one of the two beams, the so called “object beam”7, to imprint a 2-dimensional data pattern. Both the object beam ...

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Abstract

A beam shaper has a beam shaping element with an optical property that varies spatially over the profile of an incoming light beam in order to generate a first shaped light beam from the incoming light beam.

Description

[0001]This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119 of EP Patent Application 07111524.0, filed Jul. 2, 2007.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to an apparatus for reading from and / or writing to optical storage media, such as holographic storage media, and more specifically to a beam shaper for use in such an apparatus.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In holographic data storage digital data are stored by recording the interference pattern produced by the superposition of two coherent laser beams, where one beam, the so-called ‘object beam’, is modulated by a spatial light modulator and carries the information to be recorded. The second beam serves as a reference beam. The interference pattern leads to modifications of specific properties of the storage material, which depend on the local intensity of the interference pattern. Reading of a recorded hologram is performed by illuminating the hologram with the reference beam using the same conditions a...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G11B7/00G11B7/135
CPCG11B7/0065G11B7/1362G11B7/1381G11B7/1398G11B7/1365
Inventor KNITTEL, JOACHIM
Owner THOMSON LICENSING SA